Miguel Tejada interested in coaching position with Orioles (and other notes)

The first day of the general managers meetings concluded in Boca Raton, Fla., and nothing newsy developed with the Orioles.

Again, that's how it's expected to be with a month remaining before the Winter Meetings in Nashville. It would go against the norm for executive vice president Dan Duquette to swing a major deal or sign a free agent this early in the process. But he'll continue to meet with other officials and get a feel for whether they could evolve into trade partners.

Agent Scott Boras isn't in a rush to find homes for Chris Davis, Wei-Yin Chen and Matt Wieters. Darren O'Day's agent, Jeff Borris, is going to let the market grow as more teams express interest and the Orioles become more challenged to keep the veteran set-up man.

Duquette's shopping list hasn't changed. It's still a starting pitcher and more rotation depth, at least one outfielder, a first baseman if Davis leaves, a catcher and at least one bullpen arm.

* The Orioles are in the process of arranging interviews with candidates for the job of assistant hitting coach and they'd like to make a decision soon and complete their staff.

I've heard that former shortstop Miguel Tejada reached out to the Orioles and expressed interest in the position.

Tejada played 16 seasons in the majors, the last in 2013 with the Royals, and finished with a .285/.336/.456 slash line with 307 home runs and one Most Valuable Player Award. He hit .305/.354/.481 with 109 home runs in five seasons with the Orioles from 2004-2007 and 2010.

(Props if you remember that the Orioles traded Tejada and cash to the Padres on July 29, 2010 for pitcher Wynn Pelzer.)

The Orioles signed Tejada to a minor league deal on May 8, 2012 and released him a month later after 36 games at Triple-A Norfolk. The ship finally sailed. He continued to play this year at age 41, batting .324/.368/.446 with 27 doubles, seven home runs and 70 RBIs in 105 games for Puebla in the Mexican League.

From what I've gleaned - that word again - Tejada isn't a leading candidate for the job. But it's still interesting that he learned of the opening and contacted the Orioles.

* We'll find out tonight whether third baseman Manny Machado wins his second Rawlings Gold Glove Award.

Machado is the only finalist for the Orioles, his competition at third base coming from Rangers four-time winner Adrian Beltre and Rays two-time winner Evan Longoria.

Machado committed a career-high 19 errors in 488 chances at third this season, but he owned the best range factor per nine innings at 3.09.

Managers and coaches account for 75 percent of the voting, and the other 25 percent comes from the SABR Defensive Index. Beltre ranked first in defensive runs saved.

Machado won a Gold Glove and Platinum Glove in 2013.

The Orioles won three Gold Gloves in each of the past three seasons. They had multiple winners in every season since 2011, but the streak ended this year.

Also, finalists will be announced tonight for the Baseball Writers' Association of America awards. The winners will be revealed next week.

* Jason Garcia made his fifth start yesterday for the Peoria Javelinas and his first as Dylan Bundy's replacement. He allowed one run and one hit in three innings, with two walks, three strikeouts and a wild pitch. He threw 47 pitches, 28 for strikes and retired the last six batters that he faced.

Bundy was scratched due to stiffness in his right forearm. The Orioles regard Bundy as day to day and don't know whether he'll make another start in the AFL after working two innings in two games.

Garcia, a Rule 5 pick with the Orioles this season, has allowed six runs (five earned) and six hits in 12 1/3 innings for Peoria. He's walked 10, struck out 14 and hit a batter.

* Outfielder Henry Urrutia, playing in the Venezuelan Winter League, was batting .320/.376/.507 with five doubles, three home runs, 14 RBIs, eight walks, 14 strikeouts and 19 runs scored in 20 games. He was 24-for-75 at the plate.

Urrutia didn't receive a September call-up from the Orioles after rosters expanded.

Urrutia hit his first major league home run, a walk-off on Aug. 19 to beat the Mets, and went a combined 4-for-7 with a walk in the next two games. He received only eight more at-bats before the Orioles optioned him.